How To Make A DIY Jig Box (For Bucktails, Flair Hawks & Pre-Rigged Jigs)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
- Found In: *Tackle & Gear, Fishing Tips, Weekly Newsletter: 12-20-20
How do you store your bucktails, flair hawks, or pre-rigged jigs?
In the fly fishing world, they have fly boxes to store their flies.
These boxes have foam on the bottom that you stick the hooks in so that the flies stay in place and don’t get damaged rolling or laying on top of each other.
I couldn’t find something similar for the big inshore saltwater lures I use, so I made one myself!
And in this video, I’m going to show you exactly how I did it, so you can make one, too.
Check it out below.
How To Make A DIY Jig Box [VIDEO]
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If you’re using flair hawks or bucktail jigs, you don’t want the skirts to be getting crumpled or bent, because that could affect how they look underwater.
An easy way to store these safely is in a foam-lined box.
You can just stick the hooks in the foam to keep them in place so they don’t roll around.
This type of box could also be helpful for storing soft plastics pre-rigged on jig heads, as well as other lures you don’t want rolling around getting tangled, like topwater lures.
I couldn’t find any boxes like this in the size I needed, so I made one myself.
Here are the steps for making this jig box, as well as what you’ll need:
Materials:
- EVA foam (I used 10 mm foam)
- Plastic project box (without slots like most tackle boxes have)
- Gorilla Glue spray adhesive (or similar type of glue)
You can get these from your local craft store, like Jo-Ann’s, Michael’s, or Hobby Lobby.
Instructions:
- Get all your materials together
- Cut the foam to fit snugly in the bottom of the box
- Spray Gorilla Glue spray adhesive on both the box and the foam
- Let the spray sit for a minute until it becomes tacky
- Place the foam into the box
And one last tip for storing your lures in these boxes: make sure that when you put the hook into the foam, the barb goes through the foam as well.
If the barb doesn’t penetrate the foam and you flip the box upside down, it’ll likely slip out.
Conclusion
A DIY jig box with foam like this one is great for storing bucktails, flair hawks, or pre-rigged lures.
Do you have a box like this?
Have any questions about making them?
Let me know down in the comments.
And if you know someone who needs to learn how to make one of these, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Tony,
You say that you got all the materials at Joanne’s.
I love that box. I am a fly fisherman and have been looking for a nice big box without slots. That looks like it! Who makes that box and what do they call it?
Thanks for this ans ALL your videos. Always interesting and informative.
Hey Ernie!
Yes it was all purchased there. The boxes are called “project cases” or “project boxes”. They happened to have them buy one get one free at the time. Amazon also sells some:
https://www.amazon.com/IRIS-USA-Inc-PJC-300-Portable/dp/B001MY0LU2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=project+case&qid=1608254049&sr=8-5
My pleasure Ernie and thank you for the awesome feedback!
You guys always discuss scents that can draw off fish. Storing your lures in this type of container with an adhesive, won’t that create an odor that might run the fish off.
I do like the idea, but will it really work with the soft plastics ??
You want to leave the case open and let it air dry completely before using it (or the foam wont hold properly). Once it dried I really don’t notice an odor. You have to think too, many of these lures and jigs are made with paints and glues as well. Just make sure to give it ample time to dry (a day or so left open in a well ventilated area)
Boom. These are my favorite types of tips. I actually glued EVA foam on the lid of my lure lock boxes to keep hooks from moving around to different dividers and to keep the latches closed tight.
Good stuff Matt! Thats a great idea as well!
Tony,
Great idea, thanks for sharing. Did you get your foam at the craft store as well? Thanks!
My pleasure Tom!
Yes I got everything at Joann Fabrics. You can also find it all on amazon.
Great video Tony. I especially like the idea of using one for a daily box arranged for that trip. I will be making at least one.
Thanks Steve! Definitely a handy box to have.
Great video Tony, very helpful info thanks.
Thank you for the great feedback Stan!
I use this type of lure holder all the time, started using a similar version when I began bass fishing in tournaments, I would cut a piece of foam, glue it to a piece of plywood and place my lures in the same manner. The wood could be set to hag on the boat and stacked vertically in one of my boat’s storage compartments, quick easy way to store lures, see what you have and best of all ready access to those lures. Found it very useful….
Good stuff David! Very useful indeed!
Great idea Tony!! This something that I could get into, especially for a given day of fishing’s anticipated lure selection and to keep the plastics from interacting. Thanks for a great idea.
Thank you for the great feedback Glenn! My pleasure!
Great idea, thank you Tony. Do you know if the ZMan plastics will react adversely with the eva foam? Thank you
My pleasure Lara! I’m not 100% sure, but I will actually test that out and leave one sitting on a piece of foam for a couple days and let you know!
Thank You Tony.
You’re welcome Ronald!